Lessons for a Young and Impressionable Time Lady
by arethusa85
Summary: Follows soon after Choices We Made. The Doctor, Rose and their daughter settle into life on board the TARDIS. Each part of this story contains a series of connected vignettes.
1. Chapter 1

**Character/Pairing:** Ten/Rose  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.  
**Spoilers:** Through _Voyage of the Damned_.  
**Author's Notes:** Follows soon after Choices We Made. The Doctor, Rose and their daughter settle into life on board the TARDIS. Each part of this story contains a series of connected vignettes that cover the five years between CWM and a sequel.

* * *

The Doctor was not sulking. He was currently very busy glaring at a handful of wires, but that had nothing to do with the aggravation churning in his gut. He'd been planning to rewire the humidity controls in the spare aquarium for years. But even the complex color coding of the wiring couldn't distract him forever.

He'd made a simple request of his ship and she'd had the gall to laugh at the suggestion. Spare aquarium that no one ever ever visited, fine. But a lovely little classroom? Oh, no. _That_ was beyond her dignity. He'd envisioned a neat little room with a chalkboard and motivational posters and desks with a variety of gum stuck underneath. And one of those maps that could be pulled down and snapped back into place. Although, it would need quite a bit of jiggery pokery to handle all the topography of the universe.

Sparks hit his hand and he swore, jerking the injured appendage away. As he considered leaving the wires in a tangle to further vex his ship, Rose poked her head through the doorway.

"There you are! I asked the TARDIS where you'd gotten to and she said aquarium. Didn't know where that was. Bit dusty in here." Rose wiped the glass of the nearest tank with her sleeve and leaned closer. "Where are all the fish?"

"This is the spare aquarium," he explained with a sigh. "Really just a closet compared to the proper one. I've never had a surplus of fish on board, so it's empty."

"Oh." Spotting the pile of wires on the floor, Rose frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everything's fine. Molto bene."

"You're sulking," she concluded, folding her arms across her chest.

"Time Lords _never _sulk," he insisted with his loftiest expression.

"You only do that much wiring when you're upset 'bout something."

He hurried to shove the wires back into the open wall panel. "Wiring? No, no, no, no, no. I was just...checking. You know...checking? Just, checking things that needed to be checked. Can't let things go unchecked, Rose. There could be consequences."

"Doctor," she encouraged with the greatest patience. "What is it?"

"You know how you said I should spend some time with our _daughter_." He carefully emphasized the last word, still delighting in the pleasure of actually having a reason to say it.

She nodded. "Father daughter time. Yeah?"

"Well...I thought it would be a great opportunity to start her education. Teach her a few tricks of the trade. All about being a Time Lord."

Rose laughed and gave him a look that suggested he was the silliest alien she'd ever met. Which, considering they'd recently met giant frogs obsessed with chewing taffy, was not in any way reassuring.

"Well, yeah. You've got to do that. But, Doctor, I meant like a picnic. Or read her a book. Or go for ice cream. I mean, I never had a dad around, growin' up. But that's what other fathers did with their daughters. You missed out on the first couple years. You should spend some time just getting to know each other."

"There'll be books," the Doctor argued. "And I'm certainly fond of both picnics and ice cream. So, maybe we could have field trips. Oh! Do you think she'd like a visit to the blooming fields of Kalladra? Flowers as big as your head? Well, relatively speaking. If you're a Kalladran they're quite a bit bigger than that." He glared at the ceiling. "Of course, they can't be _real_ field trips if I haven't a classroom to teach in."

The wall sparked again and he jumped away from it.

"That what this is about? Can't you use another room?"

He sighed. "Won't have the same educational good karma, Rose."

"But...you've only got one student."

Rose, it turned out, was just as stubbornly logical as the TARDIS.

"That's not the point! A classroom is the perfect environment for learning. Renowned throughout the universe for turning little terrors into perfectly capable citizens."

"Neither really applies to Hope, you know."

"Well, it can't hurt," he insisted, turning away to finish sorting the wires left over from his repairs.

"That what classrooms looked like on your planet?"

His hands stilled.

Rose carefully touched his shoulder. "Doctor, I..."

"Didn't really have classrooms. Not a very social bunch, my people. We learned on our own mostly. Oh, there were syllabuses and tests, of course. They _loved _tests. All those percentiles to look at."

She grinned, giddy that he'd actually replied. "Bet you hated that."

"Failed. Every time. Well, _almost _every time. Fifty-one percent the second time 'round. Got past my piloting test with only fifty-three questions wrong. Then I nicked the TARDIS and that was that."

"Mum always warned me 'bout men like you," she teased, arms slipping around his waist as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "You're a slacker _and _a thief."

"Nonsense. I'm ridiculously clever and the TARDIS was elated to be stolen. She was about to be decommissioned." He closed the wall panel and tenderly brushed a hand across the metal. "I suspect she knew what a great pair we'd make."

"Mmmm," Rose agreed. "Think it'll be..._recess_ any time soon?"

* * *

"Rule number one, don't wander off. Rule number two." The Doctor paused, squinting at a book on one of the shelves that lined the study. "_Don't wander off_. Rule number three--"

"Don't wander off?" Hope interrupted, craning her neck to watch her father as he passed behind the sofa.

"No. Bananas are good. Always carry a banana with you. Now, rule number fo--"

She wrinkled her nose. "Isn't that awkward? Carryin' a banana around?"

"Don't be silly. You keep it in one of your pockets. Although, you do have to remember the date of expiration. Otherwise, well..."

"A banana is not going to fit in any of my pockets," she stated with certainty.

"Why ever not?"

She merely arched one eyebrow at him, an expression he often used himself.

"Ah," he finally said, realizing the source of her confusion. "That would relate to rule 632. The contents of pockets. Relative to the dimensional flexibility of said pockets."

She frowned. "How many rules are there?"

"Um...several. Many. Lots."

"More than 632?"

The Doctor hesitated.

"How many more?"

"Well, you've already mastered rule 31. Ask the right questions. Probably inherited that from your mum. Hard-wired into the Tyler genes that is." He shook his head to clear it of old memories. "And think, if you've got that one down pat, then you're probably all right with at least half of them. So, really, there are less rules to worry about than it might seem."

"How many less?"

* * *

Life with the Doctor left little time for relaxation. It wasn't that Rose wished there was less running, but she enjoyed the chance to recuperate. Keeping up with an alien with a god complex and an exuberant five year old was challenging on a calm day.

Sensing her occupant's need for comfort, the TARDIS had provided plenty of hot tea and chocolate biscuits. Seated at the kitchen table, Hope cheerfully related their latest escape from miniature lawn gnomes to Herbert the stuffed koala. It was an adventure Rose desperately wanted to forget. Tiny stone men brandishing spades and watering cans were not something she wanted to revisit in nightmares.

An alien tabloid with promising headlines served as ample distraction, until there was a loud bang and the table shook. Reluctantly, she peered over the top of the tabloid and discovered a large stack of the books and the Doctor, looking immensely pleased with himself.

"What's all this?"

"Books," he explained, rocking back on his heels.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah. What sort of books?"

"Oh, all sorts. Big, small, new, ancient, leather bound, interesting, dull, more dull...biscuits!" Delighted, he reached over the books, grabbing several chocolate biscuits from the pile on the table. "I wonder where they came from?"

"Doctor..."

"Bit of required reading," he explained, gesturing at the books with a biscuit.

Rose stared at the daunting pile for a long moment, before realizing exactly what he meant. "She's five years old!"

"So?" He finished the last biscuit, licking crumbs from his fingers. "I was calculating the gravitational fields of black holes by the time I was five."

"Doctor, there's _plenty _of time."

"But, Rose, you never know when you might need to know the angular momentum of..."

"That's what you're for," she interrupted. "You're her dad."

While her parents debated, Hope inched her chair forward, covertly approaching the stack of books. She lifted the cover of the topmost volume to find the first page covered with a curious arrangement of interconnected circles. She leaned closer to get a better look, but the cover snapped shut, almost trapping her hand inside.

"Spoilers," the Doctor chided with a smile.

* * *

Despite her refusal of the Doctor's request, the TARDIS happily adapted to match the whims of her newest occupant. It was on one such occasion that Rose found the Doctor deep in thought, leaning in a doorway that led to a new section of the library.

"Penny for your thoughts," she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Is this...normal? She reads an awful lot of fairy tales. Look! The TARDIS built a whole new section. I hope she's kept the more gruesome ones out of reach. Especially that collection from Boralt 5."

Rose shrugged. "I loved 'em when I was her age."

"But...they're all fantasy. Not even loosely based on real facts most of them."

"We live in a blue box that travels through time an' space."

"So?"

"Not the most average of upbringings, yeah?" At his arched brow, she sighed. "All right, maybe for _you_."

"Susan always read about theoretical mechanics," he grumbled. "Please tell me a love of pink isn't hereditary?"

"Mechanics?"

"Yeah. _And_ lots of pop music magazines. _Melody Maker_ an' all that. We were on Earth for a bit and she found this tape recorder. Practically obsessed with it. Always humming and..." He frowned. "I'd forgotten all about that."

"Well, you _are _over nine hundred years old."

He tilted his head, appraising her with a heated look. "Oh, you know _exactly_ how capable I am for my age, Rose Tyler."

* * *

"Fructolia," the Doctor announced, securing the parking brake before hopping over to his daughter. "Just you an' me this time. All right?"

Hope glanced at her mum, who nodded her approval.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor declared, grabbing Hope's hand and pulling her toward the exit ramp. "Be back in a few hours."

He pushed open the door and Hope gasped at the sparkling world of spun sugar that awaited them.

"It's beautiful!" she gushed, spinning in a circle to try and see it all at once.

"It is, isn't it?" he agreed. "Wait 'til you see the chocolate fountains."

But there was trouble brewing and they were soon busy saving a delicate princess from the wrathful Gingerbread King. Afterward, there was a banquet held in their honor at the Peppermint Palace. Normally, the Doctor would have disappeared before any celebration could be planned, but Hope was so excited by the prospect that he agreed to linger until it was over. The tables were covered with every confectionary delight in the universe and Hope wasn't satisfied until she had tasted every one. The Doctor was similarly inclined and it wasn't until the eleventh course that he noticed that Hope looked a bit queasy.

He panicked.

Certain she'd been poisoned, he hurried out of the banquet hall, carrying her as he rushed to locate the TARDIS. Insulted by their hasty exit, the princess ordered her entire army to arrest them. The Doctor barely managed to run fast enough, careening inside the TARDIS just before explosive gumdrops hit the police box. He rushed to the central console, handing Hope to a surprised Rose as he went.

"Thought you said you were takin' her somewhere safe?"

"Safe-ish," he muttered, flipping the switches that would take them into the vortex.

Hope groaned, clutching her stomach, and Rose knelt to check her over. "Are you all right?"

Shaking her head, Hope leaned closer to whisper in her mother's ear.

Rose's eyes went wide. "You let her eat what?!"

The Doctor wasn't the least bit alarmed by the angry tone of Rose's voice. "I think she's been poisoned," he stated, voice wavering with urgency. "I need to check her over in the infirmary immediately. Don't know what..."

"She hasn't been _poisoned_," Rose interrupted, sounding exasperated. "Just too much sugar."

"Don't be silly, Rose. It's impossible to have too much..."

Rose glared at him. "C'mon, sweetheart," she murmured, taking Hope's hand. "Cuppa ginger tea and some sleep are what you need."

The Doctor watched them go, forcing himself to take several deep breaths to mitigate his state of panic. After a few minutes, he retreated to their bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed, running his hands through his hair to expel his remaining fear. It wasn't long before he felt Rose's displeasure swell at the edge of his mind and he knew she was on her way to find him.

"Don't you know anythin' 'bout raising kids?" she demanded, stalking into their bedroom.

"Of course I..." He stopped himself, taking a deep breath. "Rose, it was different. On Gallifrey, children were raised at the Academy. I barely spoke to mine. Except..." He faltered, hesitant to revisit memories long buried. "Susan. She sought me out. Demanded attention. And I...well, she deserved it. It was partially my fault, after all."

"What was?"

He turned away, fingering the edge of the duvet. "Remember our first time."

"Hard to forget."

"I told you it was, well, pretty near impossible." Hesitantly, he glanced up at her. "Me getting you pregnant."

"But we..."

"I wasn't lying," he continued. "Time Lords and humans aren't that compatible. Genetically speaking, of course. Although, we might have had a slightly better chance. Very slight, mind you."

"Why?"

"I'm..." He swallowed hard and suddenly the words tumbled out in a rush. "Not exactly one hundred percent Gallifreyan. My mother was a human."

Rose stared.

"Rose, you've got that look that usually precedes fainting. Are you...?"

"You're half human?" she managed to ask, stunned by this revelation.

"An eighth. Technically. Time Lord genetics overwri..."

"An' Hope?" she interrupted.

"What about her?" His brow creased briefly, before he realized what she meant. "Oh. I dunno. Suppose I should test her, shouldn't I?"

"Is it necessary?"

He shrugged.

Carefully, she sat beside him on the bed. "I think I suspected."

"I know you did," he murmured, gently bumping her shoulder with his. "Susan was actually my granddaughter. In my first life, I'd turned into quite the doddering old fool. Hard to imagine, I know. She destroyed my nice quiet life. Emotional attachments were considered unnecessary for Time Lords." He reached for her hand, twining their fingers together. "This is all very new to me."

* * *

Night on the TARDIS was relative, but there was only so long they could keep running. At Rose's suggestion, the Doctor tucked Hope into bed every night, delighting her with tales of adventures on distant worlds. He told each story as if it was one of the fairy tales she favored, reluctant to reveal the real dangers of the universe just yet. There would be plenty of time for that later.

"And then, the golden goddess saved the whole universe with a wave of her hand," he said one night to his enraptured audience of one. "But the enchantment was too powerful. The wanderer knew what he had to do. One kiss, just one kiss, and he could save her. Only, he would have to change."


	2. Chapter 2

**Character/Pairing:** Ten/Rose  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.  
**Spoilers:** Through _Voyage of the Damned_.  
**Author's Notes:** Follows soon after Choices We Made. The Doctor, Rose and their daughter settle into life on board the TARDIS. Each part of this story contains a series of connected vignettes that cover the five years between CWM and a sequel.

* * *

**TIMELINES**

_  
The glare of bright lights reflect across the wet pavement and she can almost taste the tang of electricity in the air. A man in a brown pin-striped suit is sitting on the floor a few yards away, cradling a limp body against his chest. She steps toward him, but stops when she sees blonde hair._

_Someone touches her shoulder and a familiar voice whispers, "Tell him."_

_"It's too late," the Doctor states although his voice trembles. He turns his head and she sees that his dark eyes are brimming with tears. "I'm sorry. Hope, I'm so sorry. I couldn't..."_

Gasping, Hope woke to unfamiliar surroundings and the thunderous patter of heavy rain. Clutching the rough blanket with shaking hands, her eyes darted to the dark corners of the room, expecting a specter of her dream to jump out at any moment. Then she remembered the storm and the decision to spend the night in a dilapidated barn. Needing to see her parents alive and well, she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and shuffled into the main room.

"Oh, hello," the Doctor said, spotting her. "You all right?"

She nodded, nervously tugging on her braid.

"No, you're not." He beckoned her closer. "Nightmare?"

She nodded again, but didn't move. She was still cautious around him when they were alone, despite traveling together for several weeks.

"I thought so. First night spent outside the TARDIS. Promised I'd help, didn't I?"

"But you've got to..." She pointed to the scraps of paper scattered near his feet.

"Nah. Had those calculations finished hours ago." He smiled, patting the hay covered ground. "Come on. Hay's plenty soft."

Hesitantly, she approached, carefully sitting on the ground beside him.

"Now, tell me about this nightmare."

She swallowed hard, picking at the fabric of her jeans. "You were there. An' so was Mum. She was...hurt. Bad. An' I needed to tell you somethin', but I couldn't remember. It was so _important_, but I couldn't..." Sucking in a deep breath, she tried not to cry. "I couldn't..."

"Hey, hush now," he murmured, drawing her into a hug. "It's all right. We're safe. We're all safe. It was just a ripple. A possibility. Nothing to worry about." He kissed the top of her head, rocking her gently as she sobbed into his shirt. "You're safe."

"It won't happen?" she asked with a tremor of hope.

"Well..." Faced with her tear streaked face, he hesitated. "No. Probably not. It's...complicated. Timelines are bleeding into your subconscious. Few barriers an' it shouldn't happen anymore."

"That's it?"

"Yeah...that's it." He kissed the top of her head. "Sit across from me an' we'll get started."

* * *

After spending a few hours investigating the small town in which the TARDIS had landed, the Doctor was bored. When they'd first arrived, Rose's golden hair had brought the villagers to their knees with joyous exclamations. They were convinced she was a local goddess and whisked her away for pampering. However there was nothing dangerous and having to entertain a seven year old was diminishing what patience the Doctor had left. As the twin suns began to set, he decided it was time they left. But when they reached the temple, the villagers refused them entrance.

"She's not a goddess!" the Doctor argued. "She's human. Human as they come, really. Well, a bit less after that whole mess with the vortex, but more so than most people in the fifty-second century."

"But her hair is..._blonde_," a man with a staff murmured with reverence.

"Yes, well, she's not a _real_ blonde. Dyes her hair. Disgusting habit. All that peroxide." The Doctor wrinkled his nose. "But I can't convince her otherwise. And believe me, I've tried."

The entire crowd gasped and the man shook his staff to keep them quiet. "Impersonating the goddess is punishable by..._death_."

"Impersonating? No, no, no, no, no, no," the Doctor said quickly. "More of a tribute really. Like Cirque du Soleil and the Beatles."

"Sir, are you comparing the Goddess of the Dawn to an insect?! That is an even greater crime."

"Oh, you'd better not visit Bora Bora." The Doctor tilted his head toward Hope, clarifying, "Planet, not the city."

Hope had soon realized that there was no better negotiator in the universe than her father. She always watched him carefully, trying to learn how he managed it. But this time, something was different. As the conversation shifted, her vision blurred, everything overlapping in a dizzying array. It reminded her of a fair ground ride, spinning out of control. Overwhelmed by vertigo, she stumbled, almost collapsing before the Doctor caught her.

"Not that shocking is it?" he commented, pressing his palm against her forehead. "Hope? What's wrong?" Not waiting for an answer, he swerved to face the crowd. "What have you done to her?"

"We have done nothing, Doctor."

"Everything went blurry," Hope whispered. "Then it...wasn't."

"Like it snapped back into place?" the Doctor asked.

She nodded.

"Ah." He ran a hand through his hair. "Are you all right now?"

"Think so." She attempted to stand, but the world refused to remain stationary. "Oh..."

The Doctor gripped her arm tightly, keeping her steady. "Look at me, sweetheart. Just me."

She did and although everything else still swerved oddly, the Doctor was in perfect focus.

"That's it. Close your eyes if you have to. It should pass in a minute." He stretched, reaching into a pocket to find his sonic screwdriver. Finding it, he pointed it at the sky and there was a sudden rumble of thunder.

The crowd gasped, in fear this time, pointing at the dark clouds gathering above.

"Oh, did I forget to mention I'm the Goddess of Dawn's lover?" the Doctor remarked casually. "And if I'm not mistaken, she doesn't like being kept waiting."

* * *

As soon as they returned to the TARDIS, the Doctor whisked Hope into the study, hoping the familiar room would be more reassuring than the difficult explanation.

"Am I sick?" she asked, nervously tugging on her braid.

"No," he said firmly. "No, of course not. It's perfectly natural. For a Time Lord, well, Time Lady."

"What was it, then?"

"It's possibilities. Lots of them. You're seeing what is, what was, what could be, and...what must not. All at once, well, it's a bit of a mess to the untrained eye." He ran a hand through his hair. "Of course, you've got a natural talent for it. Hard wired, you know. Every time it happens it should get easier. You'll be able to sort through 'em before long."

"Then what?"

"Well, you'll learn how to influence things. How to make events happen the way they should." He slouched against the back of the sofa, crossing his ankles. "Some things are fixed points. We can't change those."

"Like Jack?"

He grimaced. "Yeah. Like Jack. But other things..._lots _of other things are in flux. They can change. And a little nudge here or there, nobody's the wiser. Except us."

"That's what you do?"

"Sometimes," he murmured, years of regret apparent in his tone. "Of course, you can't ever see your own future. If you're lucky, very very_ very_ lucky, you might get a brief glimpse, a snapshot of sorts, every hundred years or so. But even that can be unreliable. Things change all the time." Lost in his own thoughts, he shook himself, straightening and taking her small hands in his own. "Sometimes the TARDIS takes us places we need to be. To fix events before they get out of control."

* * *

It was late. Very late. Time might be relative on the TARDIS, but Rose knew the Doctor had been missing for more than ten hours. He often lost track of time while fussing with the mechanics of his ship, but it wasn't like him to miss telling Hope a bedtime story. Insisting something was wrong, Hope was restless, only falling asleep when exhaustion claimed her. Worried, Rose pressed a kiss against her daughter's forehead and hurried to the console room. That was when she discovered they were parked on an alien world. And had been. For hours.

Rose lacked the ability to read the complex circles on the monitor, but the parking brake was engaged and the indicator light was flashing orange. She took a deep breath, trying to think clearly despite the evidence in front of her. As she began to consider going after him, the door swung open and the Doctor wearily stepped inside.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, spinning to face him. "S'been hours and--"

"Out. There was something that..." He stumbled, grabbing the railing for support.

"Doctor!" She rushed to his side, gasping when she noticed the dark stains on his clothing. "You're hurt! What happened?"

"Complications," he grumbled, wincing as she unbuttoned his suit jacket.

"_Complications?_ What were you thinking, going out on your own?"

"Well, I certainly didn't anticipate a booby trapped trail with ang--GAH!" he shouted when she lifted his arm. "Fracture."

Her frown deepened as she removed his coat and jacket with shaking hands.

"It was too dangerous. For you," he said quietly when she'd finished. "I can regenerate."

She tossed the soiled clothing over the opposite railing. "Don't be foolish."

He sighed. "I'm fine, Rose. Perfectly fine."

"Obviously," she stated tartly, guiding his arm over her shoulder to help support him. "Infirmary, yeah?"

They were half way down the hallway when one of the doors creaked open.

"Dad!" Hope shouted, running up to them and throwing her arms around her father's legs. "I knew something was wrong. I just knew it. I told Mum, but she said I was being silly. You're okay, aren't you? Aren't you?"

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm all right," he murmured, kneeling and hugging her tightly with his good arm. "Just a few scratches. Nothing to worry about."

Tentatively, Hope touched his stained shirt. "But..."

"Off to bed with you," Rose interrupted.

"But..."

"Listen to your Mum," the Doctor instructed, pulling back to look her in the eye. "You can ask all the questions you like in the morning. All right?"

Hope wanted to argue, but she bit her lip instead, nodding slowly.

"Good girl." He kissed the top of her head and gave her a small push in the direction of her room. "Off you go."

They waited until she disappeared from sight, her bedroom door firmly shut, before continuing to the infirmary.

"You're going to answer all her questions are you?" Rose inquired, pushing open the door and leading him inside.

"Welllll....some of them." He attempted to open a drawer and winced.

Rose sighed. "Sit down. Let me find it."

"The bone matrix stabilizer," he instructed, sitting gingerly on the examination table. "And that salve from Chromos 14."

She nodded, opening a drawer and squinting at the labeled jars. "Hope knew you were hurt. Does that mean she's gettin' better with..."

He shrugged, struggling to unbutton his shirt with one hand. "Possibly."

"What if she doesn't?"

"When I was eight, I looked into the untempered schism. We all did. Part of the initiation for the Academy. Staring at all that raw power..." Absently, he raised his arm to rub the back of his neck, stopping with a hiss of pain. "Put a lot of things in perspective."

Rose handed him the container of salve. "Well, can't she...?"

"Doesn't exist anymore. It's gone." He tried to smile. "She'll be fine."

"I didn't even believe her," Rose murmured, opening a cabinet and reaching deep inside.

"You didn't have a reason to." He inspected his shirt and tie. "I don't think even the TARDIS can save these."

The stabilizer banged against the counter, startling the Doctor into looking up at her.

"How can you be so..." She sucked in a deep breath. "I know there are things you need to do. Champion of the universe, you are. But you can't keep sneaking off like this. What if...what if...?"

"That won't happen," he stated firmly.

"How do you know?"

He pursed his lips, avoiding her gaze as he finished undressing.

"You don't. I know you don't."

He settled back on the table, opening the salve. "Set the stabilizer to forty-two."

"Just, promise me, you'll tell me when you're gonna run off an' do somethin' stupid."

"Why? So you can wander off and complicate things?" he retorted.

"No. So I can tell the TARDIS to lock you up 'til you come to your senses."

"Rose, that hardly seems...OW!" he yelped as she lifted his arm toward the stabilizer. "Careful."

"Always." She turned a dial and the device hummed as it started to work. "You, on the other hand..."

With a sigh, the Doctor set the salve aside and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I promise, Rose. I'll tell you next time."

* * *

Sometimes, it hit her like a train. The possibilities and consequences spiraling out of control, while all Hope could do was focus on remaining upright. Whether they were having tea or running for their lives, the Doctor always noticed.

"It'll get easier," he said, over and over, each time with a little less certainty.

* * *

"I've had a talk with the TARDIS. Well, not really a talk. I mean, she can't talk, not in words, but you know that." The Doctor rocked back on his heels, smiling in a way that wasn't quite encouraging.

His eight year old daughter tilted her head, giving him a skeptical look that reminded him strongly of Rose when she'd first travelled with him. "A talk about what?"

"Oh, just about you having a quick little gander at the vortex. Turns out your mother was right to suggest it. Now that you're the appropriate age, it should be safe. You're still too young to be influenced and it will help your focus."

"No more dizziness?"

"No more dizziness," he agreed.

"Did you...?"

"Sort of." He hesitated for a moment. "On...on Gallifrey we had the untempered schism. This won't be quite the same. Couldn't possibly."

She tugged on her braid while studying her shoelaces. "What'll happen?"

"Well, the TARDIS will give you a peek inside the console, only for a second or two, but it'll feel like a lot longer." He knelt in front of her, gently cupping her chin, encouraging her to meet his gaze. "You'll see all of time and space."

"Will it...hurt?" she asked, worrying her lip.

He shook his head. "Not a bit." Reaching out, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "It's the only time we can view our personal timeline in any capacity. Any other time and it just slips away. Like oil on water."

"What did you see?"

"Suffering," he admitted with a sad smile. "And I could help."

* * *

_Time._

It was everywhere. A part of everything. And she was a part of it.

It welcomed her in a golden embrace that was present and past and eternal. It was in her blood. An inheritance that stretched back to a distant world she would never know.

The ebb and flow surrounded her, showing her the expanse and how it could be influenced.

How she would be a vessel for what must come to pass.

Just as her father had. The Oncoming Storm. The Doctor. Always running.

He had chosen his name, but it was her name that had chosen her.

Hope.

And that was what she would be.

* * *

"Doctor, what do you think about takin' a holiday on..." Rose stopped short, almost tripping over an unexpected object on the console room floor.

"Hmm?" the Doctor prompted, voice garbled from his position under the central console.

"There's a...hand," she stammered. "A _hand._ In a...in a..."

"Hermetically sealed container with vicinity tracking? Ye_p_," he confirmed. "Had to move it to get at these couplings."

"What's it tracking?"

"Me." He pushed himself out from under the console. "Well, it was. Jack had it."

"Jack?" she repeated, looking even more confused. Suddenly, her eyes went wide with comprehension. "That's _your_ hand!"

"Hello!" He waved, wriggling the fingers of his fighting hand.

Tentatively, Rose reached out to touch the container, but paused to ask, "What was Jack doin' with your hand?"

"Oh, he thought I might need it one day. Kept it safe for me."

She glanced up at him, eyes narrowed. "That doesn't sound like Jack."

"He's a different man than he was before."

"Not _that _different."

The Doctor sighed. "He wanted to know what he'd become. What had happened to make him...timeless. He thought I could fix him." His jaw clenched as he added bitterly, "I can't."

"You never said, how you met up with him again."

"I didn't?" he asked, trying to sound surprised. "Did you say something about a holiday?"

"Yeah. Just, thought it'd be nice after everythin' that's happened lately. Hope's feelin' better."

"Yes, well, splendid idea. It has been rough lately, hasn't it?" Frowning, he tapped something on the console. "Only...can it wait?"

She moved to stand beside him, leaning against his shoulder. "Why?"

"I'm about to go do something foolish. On my own." He glanced down at her with a shaky smile. "That all right?"

She sighed. "Just...be careful, yeah?"

"Always," he murmured, pressing a brief kiss against her lips as he swiftly turned to the controls.


	3. Chapter 3

**Character/Pairing:** Ten/Rose  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.  
**Spoilers:** Through _Voyage of the Damned_.  
**Author's Notes:** Follows soon after Choices We Made. The Doctor, Rose and their daughter settle into life on board the TARDIS. Each part of this story contains a series of connected vignettes that cover the five years between CWM and a sequel.

* * *

**PARADOX**

Hope sighed with relief as she dipped her bare feet in the cool water of the fountain. She had been waiting for her parents for only a few minutes, but the afternoon heat was suffocating in the plaza. She placed her sandals on the tiled edge of the fountain and sat beside them, swishing her feet in the water. They'd stopped on the mediterranean planet for only a short holiday, but of course her father had discovered something that required investigation.

Hearing a distant rumble, she wondered if a thunderstorm might be developing and reached into her pocket for her sonic screwdriver to find out. Before she could take any readings, a young woman with ginger hair ran into the plaza, stopping short at the sight of the girl in the fountain.

"Hello," greeted Hope, quickly stashing her screwdriver back in the pocket of her jeans.

"Oh," the woman said. "I wondered when this would happen."

"M'not suppose to talk to strangers," Hope stated, tilting her head as she inspected the woman. "You're...familiar. But I don't remember you."

Before the woman could respond, a tall man careened into the plaza, skidding to a halt next to them.

"Why'd you stop?" he gasped, brushing unkempt brown hair out of his eyes. "They're still chasin' us!"

"I think...I'm lost," the woman determined, worrying her lip as she stared at Hope.

Hope gaped at the man, bewildered by his uncanny resemblance to her father.

"We haven't wandered_ that _far," the man determined. "Not like that time on Dynonia when we..."

"Not _me_ me. Her, me," the woman explained pointing at Hope.

"You can't be me," Hope said with a frown. "You don't look like me."

The man leaned forward to inspect the ginger woman at close range. "How hard did that Judoon hit you?"

She pushed him away, exasperated. "That's me, you idiot!"

"Are you sure?"

The sound of marching feet echoed through the plaza and both of them turned toward the sound.

"I don't think our diversion worked," the man said with a sigh. "I thought for sure this time..."

"Right." The woman reached into the battered messenger bag slung across her shoulder. "It's in here somewhere. As soon as I find it, we can..."

"Never mind that. We've got to run," the man interrupted. "Now, preferably!"

"Not before I...ha!" Grinning, the woman pulled out a golden bracelet and offered it to Hope. "Here! Take it. You're going to need it."

There was such urgency in the woman's tone, that Hope accepted the bracelet without hesitation. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like she could trust these strangers. The moment her fingers touched the warm metal, she knew she'd made the right choice. "What is it?"

"It's..."

"We've _really_ got to go," the man interrupted, grabbing the woman's hand and tugging on it for good measure.

The woman sighed. "I'm sorry there isn't more time. There never is. Ask the Doctor."

And then they were gone, disappearing into the streets beyond the plaza. A split second after they vanished, Hope heard voices from the opposite direction and quickly stuffed the bracelet into one of her pockets.

"Hope!" the Doctor exclaimed, coming to a halt in front of the fountain. "Bit of a discrepancy and, well, Judoon, who are making it far more complicated than it needs to be. Regardless of what we could be doing to help, we should really probably..."

"Run?" Rose supplied, stopping beside him.

"Yes, exactly," the Doctor agreed, pointing to one of the many streets that connected to the plaza. "That street. Or...was it that one? Maybe..."

"You don't know?" She sighed, before continuing in a perfect imitation of his voice, "Oh, you don't need to look at that street sign, Rose. I know _exactly_ where the TARDIS is at all times."

"Yes, well...most of the time," the Doctor grumbled. "_Oh!_ That one! Definitely, that one."

Rose rolled her eyes and took Hope's hand, helping her out of the fountain. "C'mon, sweetheart. Let's see how many tries it takes him."

* * *

Hope remained awake late into the night, staring at the gold bracelet, waiting until her father would be the only one still wandering the ship. Donning a robe over her pajamas, she slipped into the dimly lit hallway and shuffled past several rooms, peering inside. Finally, she found him in the kitchen, nursing a cup of tea while he flipped through a large manual.

He glanced up as she stepped into the room. "You should be in bed."

"Yeah," she admitted, tugging on her braid. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Course you can." He closed the book and set it aside. "Must be pretty serious to keep you awake after all that running. What is it?"

Slowly, Hope climbed onto the chair beside him. She swung her legs back and forth, taking a moment to gather enough courage to show him the bracelet still hidden behind her back.

"Whatever it is, sweetheart, you can tell me," he encouraged, touching her knee.

She took a deep breath and revealed the bracelet.

The Doctor almost fell off his chair, teetering precariously before he managed to grab the table and steady himself. "How did you...? Where did you...?"

"Is it bad?" she asked, eyes wide. "Dangerous?"

"No, no, no, no, no, no. Definitely not. I just..." He tugged at his hair. "I didn't think there were any left. Didn't think it was possible that..."

"There was this woman. When I was in the plaza with the fountain. She said I'd need it," Hope quickly explained. "She...said she was me. But she didn't look like me."

"Oh," the Doctor said, not sounding nearly as surprised by the woman's crazy assertion.

"Do you know what it is?"

"Of course I do. It's a time ring." He adjusted his glasses and held out his hand. "Gave my last one to a Dalek."

"A what?" she asked, handing him the bracelet.

"Old enemy. You'll never meet one if I have anything to do with it." He turned the bracelet over in his hands, inspecting the surface. "Works like a vortex manipulator. But you won't be queasy afterwards. _And _you'll land in the right century. Although this one would of been outdated when I was at the Academy. Bit of an antique, really."

"Will it work?" she asked eagerly. "Can you show me how?"

He hesitated. "Well..."

"Please. That woman said I'd need it and..."

He sighed, setting the bracelet carefully on the table. "I think we should keep this just between us. For now. Your mum will worry."

Hope's triumphant grin was immediately replaced with an enormous yawn.

"To bed," the Doctor ordered sternly, ruffling her hair.

Sleepily, Hope nodded, sliding off the chair and stumbling to the door. "Oh. There was a man, too. With the woman in the plaza. Sounded like they were related. He looked like..."

"Crossing personal timelines is very dangerous," the Doctor quickly interrupted. "You're likely to see a slice of your future you're not meant to know."

He was both relieved and disappointed when Hope took his advice, saying no more about the strangers in the plaza. He hadn't yet told her about regeneration, but he was running out of excuses. Especially if she'd really just met a future version of herself. A future version of herself with a_ sibling._

He'd been reluctant, but Rose had convinced him they should try for another child. Only, he hadn't been lying when he said it was next to impossible. Hope was a bit of a miracle and it was very probable she'd be the only one. But what if...

Shaking his head, he refocused on the intricately engraved bracelet on the table. A time ring. Handy in a pinch for a quick trip, but not suitable for much else. He didn't want to consider when his daughter would ever need to use one.

* * *

They'd parked on Earth for only a quick supply run, but it turned out that the Doctor had a surprisingly long list of parts to find. So Rose took Hope to a small park to spend the afternoon. Hope was soon occupied with a very elaborate construction in the sand box, calmly threatening any of the other children who tried to interfere. She'd finished building about half of what she had planned when she spotted her father on the nearby path. Grinning, she jumped out of the sand and ran over to him.

"Dad! You said you'd be gone for hours! Did you find what you needed? You must've! Mum said I should play hide an' seek with the other kids, but I always win and they hate it. S'not my fault they always hide in the most logical places. So, I've been building a scale model of the..." Hope paused mid-ramble as she noticed the oddly blank look on his face. "Are you all right?" She tugged on his sleeve. "Dad...?"

"Doctor!"

He spun around, gaping at the approaching woman as if she was the most impossible thing in several universes.

"Knew you couldn't keep away. Soon as I said we were gettin' ice cream, you'd be sneaking back an'..." Grinning, Rose tapped his chest with her finger.

Frantically, the Doctor backed away, tripping over the edge of the sand box and landing sprawled on top of what had been an elaborate sand castle.

"Oh, drat," said Hope. "That'll take at least four hours and twenty-three minutes to fix. Maybe twenty-four. Twenty-five?"

The Doctor, however, appeared to have lost the awareness that anyone existed other than the blonde woman in front of him.

"Doctor?" Rose prompted, watching him with concern.

"End of the world," he announced. "It's got to be."

"What?"

"You're_ here_."

It was then that Rose noticed he was wearing the blue suit and there were dark circles under his eyes. "Hope, sweetheart, can you give us a minute? Please."

Reluctantly, Hope left them alone, retreating to the swing set several yards away.

Turning back to the fallen alien, Rose offered her hand to help him stand. "I'm real. Promise."

He swallowed, staring at her hand for a long moment before he took hold of it. As soon as he was standing, he threw his arms around her, hugging her so tight she could barely breathe.

"Rose..." he whispered, voice hoarse with desperation.

"I'm here," she murmured, burying her face in his jacket. "You smell like smoke."

"Funeral pyre. I had to...after the Master...there was no one else."

"Who?" she asked, before she could stop herself. "No, wait. Maybe it hasn't happened yet. Where am I?"

"Parallel universe. _Forever_." He shook his head, hugging her even tighter. "You shouldn't be here."

"But I am," she said, touching his cheek. "Not everything's as impossible as you think it is."

His eyes had fallen shut at the contact, but he slowly opened them, glancing at Hope on the swings. "No, I guess not." He sighed. "You can ask me anything. I'll have to forget anyway."

"Oh. Right." She didn't want to think about him having to endure the pain of their separation despite having stumbled across his future. "Can you remember one thing?"

"What?"

"Find me."

"I will." He grinned, the weight of so many years spent alone already beginning to fade. "Obviously."

"Prat," she teased.

"That too," he agreed. "Considering how long it's been since I lost you. And how long it might still be before I figure out how to get you back. Is it...very long?"

"I dunno," she admitted. "You don't like talking about it."

"Quite right too." He pried one hand away to ruffle his hair. "Oh...you'd better not tell future me. He's going to be extremely upset if he doesn't remember."

Before she could ask why, he was kissing her with a fervor that would no doubt make his future self very jealous.


	4. Chapter 4

**Character/Pairing:** Ten/Rose  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.  
**Spoilers:** Through _Voyage of the Damned_.  
**Author's Notes:** Follows soon after Choices We Made. The Doctor, Rose and their daughter settle into life on board the TARDIS. Each part of this story contains a series of connected vignettes that cover the five years between CWM and a sequel.

* * *

**REGENERATION**

The Doctor was beginning to suspect he was actually sick of traveling. Every stop he made, he returned to his ship just a bit more disappointed with the universe. Adventuring rarely cheered him up anymore, although almost nothing did since he'd lost his people. That blond girl had done the trick and proved her competence too. But she'd firmly refused to travel with him. Must have sensed the madness that was inevitable in this incarnation, fueled by the nightmares of what he'd done.

He needed a proper distraction.

When repairs failed to help, the TARDIS decided to interfere, landing without his assistance at a destination of her own choosing. Angry at her impertinence, the Doctor threw open the door and stalked out into the verdant plain.

"Not an apple grass lover this time 'round," he observed after a moment, taking a deep breath of the hazy air. "Not likely to ever be again." He scuffed a patch of ground with his boot, trying to bury the memories of red grass it conjured.

Why his ship would choose this destination of all places...

He gasped as a telepathic connection brushed against the raw nerves at the back of his mind. The familiar tingling hurt in a way it never had before...before he'd done the unthinkable.

"Impossible," he muttered.

His people were gone. Every single one.

He'd made sure of that.

Of course there were other telepathic beings in the universe, but none strong enough to get inside his head without permission. Which meant whoever he was sensing was probably dangerous. Or his recent regeneration hadn't healed him as well as he'd thought.

Whoever it was, they were either very inexperienced or very slippery to successfully avoid his attempts at contact. He would need to locate the physical source for answers. Burying his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, he stalked down the hill, toward the neon lit hospital on the horizon. Determined to avoid chit chat with the hospital staff, he soniced open an access door at the back of the building and snuck through several corridors before a nurse spotted him.

"Sir! Excuse me! _Sir!_" the nurse shouted, holding her wimple in place over her pointy ears as she caught up with him. "How did you get in here? This building is under quarantine!"

Without stopping, he gestured with his thumb. "Back door."

"But you can't be here! This virus is highly contagious."

"Nah. I've already had it." His face stretched into a wide smile that still felt unnatural. "I'm immune."

"But no one is immune," she insisted, wrinkling her nose. "We've no cure. Nothing even close."

"Yet," he retorted, striding purposefully past her and into the critical care ward.

Every available space was filled with beds, forcing him to shuffle carefully between the rows so as not to disturb any of the patients. Methodically, he peered at each one, reaching out with his mind, trying to make contact. He was close to giving up entirely, when he paused in front of a young girl.

Her dark brown hair and delicate features unburied distant memories of his granddaughter when she'd first traveled with him. He hadn't dared to think of her in decades. Swallowing hard, he forced his mind away from the past so he could focus on the problem at hand. Intrinsically, he knew this girl was the one who'd touched his mind.

"I'm afraid she hasn't long," remarked a voice behind him. "She's a fighter, but this virus is too strong. Are you a relative?"

Bristling at the implications of that question, he grabbed the clipboard attached to the frame of the bed and flipped through the pages. "Her charts aren't right," he told the nurse. "Not for a human anyway. She is human, isn't she?"

"Yes. As far as we can tell," the nurse agreed. "She has a heart anomaly. But it hardly matters. It won't save her. Nothing works. For any of them." There was a cry of anguish from the other side of the room and the nurse rushed to attend to another patient.

The Doctor took a deep breath, steeling himself for the evidence that this girl was not like him. He pressed his fingers against her temple.

"Can't be," he gasped, immediately withdrawing as if he'd been burned. "It's not...it's not possible. No one escaped. No one." But he couldn't deny that she was real. "Where did you come from, little one?"

His investigation was interrupted by a loud argument just outside the room. The door flew open, revealing a pretty boy in a suit and the nurse the Doctor had dealt with earlier.

"Sir! You can't go in there!" the nurse shouted, trying to block the man from entering. "I already had one trespasser make it through and it won't happen again on my watch! This hospital is under quarantine."

"I'm not susceptible," replied the man tersely.

"There's no cure!"

"Yet." Deftly avoiding the nurse, the man stepped inside. "Look, I'll just pop in, have a quick gander, and then leave. Won't cause you any trouble." There was a grim set to the man's jaw as he strode purposefully across the room. He was so focused on his goal that he failed to notice the other man standing beside the bed.

"She yours? Been readin' her charts. Her condition's a bit curious," the Doctor commented, casually leaning against the opposite bed. "I'm the Doctor, by the way."

"Oh." The man straightened, tilting his head as he looked the Doctor over. "Funny. I don't remember this happening."

The Doctor frowned. "What?"

Returning his attention to the girl, the man gently touched her temple. "You should go."

"Don't think so," the Doctor retorted, folding his arms across his chest. "Not before you tell me..." His eyes narrowed. "I've seen that coat before. Janis Joplin. 1963. Haight-Ashbury. Those hippies knew how to...that's _my _coat!"

"You_ really _should go," the man stressed, resting his palm against the girl's forehead. "Although, I don't remember this, so I suspect you don't. I was rather stubborn when I was you."

It was a moment before he understood what the man meant. "Ah."

"Ah," the other Doctor repeated in confirmation.

Meeting a future version of himself never failed to be awkward. He shifted his stance, letting his arms fall to his sides. "She's travelin' with you?"

"Yeah." His older self brandished his sonic screwdriver, gesturing over the girl's body and grimacing at what it revealed.

Already aware of her condition, he felt a sudden surge of anger at his future self for letting this happen. "How careless do I end up? You should have vaccinated her."

"No Gallifrey, remember? The TARDIS does her best." The Doctor in pin-stripes leaned over the girl as she moaned, fussing with the sheets to try and make her more comfortable. "Shhhh, love. You'll be all right soon."

The younger Doctor rolled his eyes, stating flatly, "She's going to die."

"No."

He balked at the look of determination on his older self's face. "You can't! She's too young! Ten years is not old enough to..."

"I rather think that's my decision. Don't you?" the Doctor in pin-stripes snapped. "Besides, we can't live by those rules anymore."

"But the risks..." He shook his head. "What were you doing here anyway?"

"Well, bit of shopping for the girls. But we must've landed earlier than I planned."

"Shopping? Oh, that must be lovely in the midst of an epidem--" he started, only to be interrupted by a familiar voice echoing through the room.

"Doctor!"

Awkwardly, he spun to face the room's entrance, mouth hanging open at the sight of the blonde running towards them. "_Rose?_"

She skidded to a halt, staring in shock at the man in leather. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" he retorted. "What are you doing here?"

"I came with you," she explained slowly.

"But you said _no_."

"Rose, I told you to stay in the TARDIS," scolded his future self, rising from the bed. "It's dangerous! Lots of germs and bacteria in here and you're..."

Sighing, Rose rolled her eyes. "It's_ always _dangerous."

"So you say no to me, but yes to the pipsqueak in the suit?" the younger Doctor scoffed, folding his arms. "Typical. Just, typical."

"Oi! Careful," warned his pin-striped self. "You're gonna be me sooner than you think."

"Is it her? Did you find her?" Rose asked, tentatively approaching.

"Yes." The pin-striped Doctor grabbed her before she could reach the bed. "Rose, you've got to stay back."

She struggled in his grip. "But she's..."

"I know." He kissed the top of her head, prompting a raised eyebrow from his younger self. "This virus is deadly and very very easy to catch."

"But you..."

"You're_ human_," the Doctor in leather pointed out.

"Your immune system can't fight this one," the Doctor holding her added softly. "Rose, I'm sorry."

She worried her lip, watching the feverish girl in the bed. "What about Hope?"

He gave her a small smile that he hoped was encouraging. "She'll regenerate."

"You don't know that," his younger self protested.

She glanced between them, not sure which to trust. "Doctor..."

"She _will _regenerate," the pin-striped Doctor repeated, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I'll make sure of it."

"How do plan on doing that?" his younger self argued. "It's not as if she's related."

"Well...it's...um..." the older Doctor stammered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No." The younger Doctor shook his head in disbelief. "That should be..."

"Impossible? Yep."

"Then how...?"

"Well..." his older self drawled, making the implication clear.

"But...we can't! Not like _that_." The younger Doctor's eyes darted to Rose. "An' you...with a companion?"

"With _Rose_," the pin-striped Doctor murmured, imbuing the name with all the meaning his other self hadn't learned yet. "Honestly, was I really that dense?"

"Oi!" the younger Doctor protested, lurching forward with clenched fists.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Rose shouted, bringing silence to the ward.

It was unnerving seeing the same bashful expression on both faces, but Rose had long since come to terms with knowing two different versions of the same man.

"Right. Sorry," the pin-striped Doctor apologized, ducking his head. "Here's...here's the plan. Back to the TARDIS, my TARDIS that is. I'll carry Hope and you make sure Rose doesn't wander off."

Confused, the younger Doctor glanced at Rose. "Wander off?"

"Oh, you haven't experienced that little trait yet, have you?" the pin-striped Doctor observed, carefully lifting Hope from the bed. "Well, something to look forward to."

The Doctor in leather looked skeptically at his future incarnation's slim frame. "Are you sure you can carry her?"

"I'm quite all right, thank you," he replied crisply, leading the way. "Come on. Best get a move on. No time to waste."

As they exited the building, Rose caught up with her version, whispering, "Don't you have precautions against...meeting yourself?"

"Of course I do!" he retorted. "Well, usually. Um...you know that yellow light that's been flashing on the console?"

"The one next to the handbrake?"

"That's the one. Haven't gotten 'round to fixing it yet."

"So careless _and _lazy," remarked the younger Doctor.

"Yes, well, we can't all be angst-ridden lunatics with reliance issues."

"Oh, I dunno," Rose interjected. "You both have your fair share of issues."

"I've gotten better!" the older Doctor protested, craning his neck to see her. "I have, haven't I? Rose?"

Rose sighed. "Is it always like this when you meet yourself?"

"Yes," both Doctors agreed in unison and then glared at each other for good measure.

* * *

Hope lost track of time. All she knew was the fever that burned everywhere, leaving her delirious and alone in the darkness of her mind. She didn't know how long she spent lost, but suddenly a familiar presence was beside her, showing her the way to wakefulness. Groggily, she opened her eyes and her room swam into focus.

"Hush, now. You're home," her father murmured, brushing damp hair from her forehead.

"What happened?" she mumbled.

"You caught a little bug, that's all," he explained, trying to remain composed for her sake. "Remember that story I told you once, about the man who could change his face and the girl that stuck with him?"

She nodded. "The lonely god and the bad wolf?"

"Well...it's not so much a story as, well, the truth. That is, it's not a fictional story. Non-fiction, if you just..."

"Hang on," interrupted a gruff voice from the other side of the room. "You didn't even tell her 'bout regeneration?"

"I was working up to it!" her father snapped and instantly Hope knew she must be in danger. He squeezed her hand, continuing in a quieter tone, "The point is that I told you that story for a reason. Probably not obvious at the time, but I meant for you to remember it, so that when the time came..."

In the doorway, the younger Doctor leaned closer to Rose, whispering, "How do you put up with his rambling?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. Guess I'm use to it. Hardly notice anymore."

"An' you stuck with me?" he asked with disbelief. "Despite the rambling and the crazy hair and..."

"Yeah."

"Fan-tas-tic."

His huge grin still made her knees weak, but Rose only had a second to savor it before he turned away.

Resolutely stepping closer to the bed, he interrupted, "Look, we haven't got time for you to explain it now. 'Specially if your gonna go on like that."

"I wasn't...!"

"Listen, sweetheart," he continued, ignoring his future self. "You're going to change."

"Oh, yes. That's considerate. Thanks," muttered the pin-striped Doctor, sounding anything but pleased.

"Who're you?" Hope asked, peering at him with curiosity.

"I'm him," he explained, inclining his head toward his future self.

"He's me," her father confirmed with a sigh. "I was him. Then I changed."

"Oh, that's _much_ clearer," the man in leather argued. "You're going to be fine, sweetheart." To the other Doctor, he added quietly, "If we both do it, there's a better chance."

"Will you?" the older Doctor asked, sounding surprised.

"'Course I will," he stated as if it had been obvious all along. "Can't let you cock it up, can I?"

The older Doctor grimaced. If it did go wrong, he doubted Rose would ever forgive him. "We have to do it now. Are you ready?"

They each took a deep breath, then in tandem they aligned their fingers on opposite sides of her head. The room filled with golden light. Rose shielded her eyes, squinting as she tried to see what was happening. As suddenly as it started, the blaze faded, revealing both of her Doctors leaning over the bed.

"Gah. That was a bit of a rush," the pin-striped Doctor exclaimed, shaking himself. "Ginger! She's...oh, that's just not fair. Do you know how many time I've...we've tried to be ginger? An' she gets it on the first go."

"Bit of a whiner too? Oh, I can't wait to be you," the younger Doctor said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Wait'll you find out the perks of being me," his future self stated throatily. "You can come in now, Rose. It's safe."

She swallowed hard, tentatively approaching the bed. "Is she...is she all right?"

"All right? Oh, she's _fine_. Perfect, I mean. Absolutely perfect. Well, she might have a bit of an identity crisis when she wakes up. You know how that goes. But she's young. She'll spring back."

Rose nodded, accepting everything with an ease that surprised only the younger Doctor. "Oh, she's beautiful," she murmured, brushing aside a strand of her daughter's new ginger hair.

"Of course she is." The Doctor in pin-stripes wrapped his arms around Rose, resting his chin on her shoulder. "She's still the same girl we've raised."

Watching them converse in hushed tones, the younger Doctor couldn't help feeling like an intruder. This was his future without question, but it certainly looked like it was meant for someone else. After all he'd done, how could this be what awaited him?

"I should go," he blurted, giving in to the sudden urge to run away from this idyllic future. "Before she wakes up."

"Do you have to?" Rose asked.

Surprised by how disappointed she sounded, he stared at her for a long moment before replying. "Yes."

"But..."

"He really should, Rose," interrupted his future self. "This is complicated enough as it is."

The younger Doctor grunted in surprise as he suddenly found himself enveloped in a tight hug. "Take care of yourself," Rose mumbled into his leather jacket, before releasing him. "'Til you meet up with me again."

The Doctor in pin-stripes shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair. "I'll show you out."

"Same ship, isn't she?" the Doctor in leather countered, rolling his shoulders to try and regain his composure. "I can find my own way."

But his future self stopped him just outside the doorway. "Thing is, I remember being you. Wasn't so long ago, really. I thought nothing would ever be right again. And to that point, I have some advice for you. Tell her it travels in time."

"Why?"

"Just...trust me." He smiled. "You'll be glad you did."

His future self appeared skeptical, but nodded before walking briskly away down the hallway.

The Doctor in pin-stripes sighed and ran a hand over his face. He knew better than anyone what it would take to give that man hope for a future. "Always wondered why I went back," he commented upon reentering the room.

"What?" Rose asked, glancing up at him. "But you--"

"Wellll....didn't want you to think I was stupid. I just stepped outside and there you were. Had to say something clever." He grinned, rocking back on his heels. "I forget this. I have to. Timelines and all that. The TARDIS must have taken care of the rest."

Rose matched his grin with one of her own, patting the wall fondly. "Clever girl."


End file.
